Land or Sea? - collage and mixed media

Untitled A4ish collage and mixed media on paper ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Pebbles colour inspiration ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

I am pushed and pulled on the tide.. is the series about the pebbles or the sea each new piece seems to change its' focus first land is more dominant then the sea....is this a metaphor.....? Edges, relationships, boundaries, liminal, erosion, words that are scribbled in my sketchbook.

Untitled A4ish collage and mixed media on paper ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Detail - Untitled A4ish collage and mixed media on paper ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Sand Ripples ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

I can't believe it has been a month since I last posted! A virus got the better of me and then ten days of road trip travelling as far up as Edinburgh and Whitby to Liverpool across with a stop off in York has kept me away. So much inspiration on the trip and much beach treasure gathered.

I will be reopening my Etsy shop again soon. There has been quite a few changes since it was last open so a steep learning curve to get up to scratch but hopefully I will be ready in the next couple of weeks. Some of these new works will be available there.

Mixed media collage - tide patterns

 

Untitled   Mixed media collage on A5ish watercolour paper  ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Untitled   Mixed media collage on A5ish watercolour paper  ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Tide patterns ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Sand ripples ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Thinking about the patterns left by wind and water on the sand, how it forms ripples and carves hills and troughs - the traces left behind.

Worn by water and wind   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

So many of my reference photos have dogs walking through, sometimes Lu sometimes randoms... I think she shows the scale rather well in this one though. The pattern has formed by dry sand catching on the textures made by the sea as it is blown across the beach. This photo was taken in Jersey where the large and rapid tides make large shapes. By contrast the photo below is much smaller in scale.

The trail of water flowing back to the sea, navigating the pebbles left behind   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Lokta - media experiments on new to me paper and gathering resources

 

Top right - experiments with different media on handmade Lokta paper
Top left - initial ideas for a range of colours for the project
Bottom - experiments with lino ink and carved stamps
©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Gathering thoughts and experiments to continue with the pebble project.....

Experiments with different media on handmade Lokta paper  ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

I bought some Lokta paper, it is A4 and a beautiful creamy colour, some with speckles. It is  thin, strong and fibrous and one side is slightly smoother than the other. I did the same experiments on both surfaces but the difference in results was negligible. Wetting the paper and tearing gives a lovely 'fluffy' edge (like most thin handmade papers) and it cuts well with knife and scissors - these are characteristics that I want to utilise in the coming works.

My next experiments were using lino printing ink in both bold colours, neutrals and off whites.

lino print experiment on Lokta paper ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

lino print experiment on Lokta paper ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

lino print experiment on Lokta paper ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

The results are subtle, I had to photograph these with a dark paper behind to show the contrast as the camera struggles to pick up the pale tones. I rather like the effect though and will definitely be exploring very pale compositions at some point - maybe more as drawings....

 

Print, collage, acrylic ink and pencil on Lokta paper...about A6ish   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Exploring shape, line and rhythm. There is something very calming about drawing flowing lines. I'm making connections in my mind with Japanese gravel gardens, Wilhelmina Barns-Graham drawings and ripples on still water. I feel like I am edging towards something...maybe I am flowing too?

Sand ripples left by the tide   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

Aren't these ripples divine? The tide was fast and strong to leave these behind, they are quite large and deep.

A Falling Tide   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

The shot below was taken through the lens of my sunglasses - I like the dramatic tonal contrast.

Sand ripples through my sunglasses   ©2024LisaLeQuelenec

All these sources will no doubt filter into this next body of work, I'm enjoying the process of collating and curating.